Sidney Gavignet (Café Joyeux) has spent his life practicing top-level sailing, Olympism and ocean racing. This 40th edition of the Route du Rhum was the last sailing race of his career as a sailor
After 3 decades dedicated exclusively to sailing as fast as possible on all the world's bodies of water, Sidney Gavignet is putting an end to his past as a sailor in the most beautiful way. He won this anniversary edition of the Route du Rhum in 16 days, 11 hours, 18 minutes and 05 seconds, with a finish line crossing on Tuesday 20 November 2018 at 23 hours 18 minutes and 5 seconds French time (18 hours 18 minutes 5 seconds Guadeloupe time).
Alexis Courcoux #RDR2018
On board his monohull Café Joyeux - on loan from Yann Bucaille, a long-time friend - he carried the message of all people with cognitive disabilities. Leading almost from start to finish, since the start in St. Malo on November 4, he has not backed down from the major difficulties of the race, and has resolutely set off against the low pressure fronts, even if it meant making his back round for many hours, before opening up behind the depression in an ideal position to hoist his large headsails, and start this long and strange ballet on the trade winds, in constant search of balance under spinnaker or large gennaker
Above all, he had a major east-west lateral shift, which he would continue to build on over the next few days, bringing his advantage to more than 230 miles over the 60-foot mark of Sébastien Destremau, a serious contender for the final victory.
Alexis Courcoux #RDR2018
PS: He was given one hour's penalty due to a lead failure.
